Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Everyone wants FREE Publicity. This will show you how to work with Social Media "pres" to get buzz. It's all about PR 2.0 - quit trying to get on TV and learn how to leverage social media and go direct to your audience. Be authentic. Be consistent. Be relevant. And get the PRIZE. www.pamperrypr.com

Friday, December 17, 2010

Christian publishing marketing consultant Pam Perry has been named one of the country's best social-media specialists.She was a Top 100 Winner in a competition by the home-based business Web site StartUpNation.com, which identified Perry's Detroit-based Ministry Marketing Solutions among "the outstanding unsung heroes of our economy—home-based entrepreneurs."A former public relations officer with The Salvation Army, Perry founded her own agency in 2000 to help predominantly African-American churches, authors and artists promote their events and releases.

A few years ago she began to focus more on helping clients understand how to use social media, from blogs and Facebook to YouTube. In addition to helping run promotional campaigns and events, she teaches churches and individuals how to maintain their own online presence."Publishers have been putting more responsibility onto authors to promote their books, but many of them don't know how to do it," she said. "They don't know about blogging and podcasts."Perry said that following blogs and online updates, she believed that "video will be the next big thing ... not highly produced, but the slice-of-life type of things, with a mobile phone."

Monday, November 29, 2010

The virus that wouldn't leave.

lady in red by godlike86

(I love this picture, the color, the composition. The birds in the background taking flight, the winds of change... It reminds me of the current season with Autumn leaving and Winter quickly approaching. Thanksgivingis gone but like an unwelcomed guest HIV has decided to stick around a little longer...)

December 1st is World AIDS Day!!

People all around the world are hosting different types of events this World AIDS Day to inform, educate and enlighten others about this deadly virus.

You may not be infected but we're all affected. This December 1st commemorate the many LIVES touched by HIV. Be a part of something positive within your community!!!

Blogs, networking sites, and other examples of the social web provide businesses with a largely untapped marketing channel for products and services. But how do you take advantage of them? With The New Community Rules, you'll understand how social web technologies work, and learn the most practical and effective ways to reach people who frequent these sites.

Written by an expert in social media and viral marketing, this book cuts through the hype and jargon to give you intelligent advice and strategies for positioning your business on the social web, with case studies that show how other companies have used this approach.

Monday, October 25, 2010

What are Public Relations Retainers, PR Coaching, & Pay-Per-Placement Programs

I am always surprised by what people think public relations services cost. When I ask them what their goalsare, they’ll say “to sell 10,000 copies.” When I ask, “what’s your budget?” they’ll say they “I really don’thave one – but maybe $500 to $1,000.”

For a campaign that sells 10,000? I don’t think so. If you could publish a book and spend $500 and sell10,000 copies – you’re a miracle worker. The fact is that you have to invest in your marketing (advertising AND public relations). See the rest of article here wher I describe the new PR models: go here.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

In the golden days, an author would secure a book deal through an agent, publish the book, go on tour escorted by the publicist or media escort - and if they scored enough publicity, they'd become a "best selling" author.

Or at the very least, the author's book sales would cover the tour, pay back the advance and make the publisher some money. Profit was the name of the game - and the system was working - until about 2005.

Suddenly bookstores, media properties and publishing houses began to crumble. The internet was the "game changer" and the traditional book publishing and promotion process have become ineffective.

Up until this point, the world wide web was for those techy-geeky folks and had no real impact on book sales. But now Amazon.com, print-on-demand, viral marketing messages, social media and powerful online communities have leveled the playing field.

Bookstores, agents, fat clunky press kits and publicists scoring traditional media are not the keys to an author's success anymore.

There are tons of self-published or independent books that have made history - and surprised the publishing world. Like The Shack, a Christian novel by William P. Young was originally self-published in 2005. And as of February 2010, over seven million copies in print worldwide, spent seventy weeks holding the number one spot on the New York Times bestseller list, and it continues to remain in the top ten to date.

The success of The Shack demonstrates what word-of-mouth and community networking can do for a self-published book, but more interestingly, the market strength of religious books in the United States, within and without the book publishing industry.

So let's compare old school and new school way of doing things:

Old School: Traditional hard and soft-cover books
New School: Digital books, ebooks, Kindles, iPad and other wireless reading devices are on the way!

Old School: Book tours
New School: Blog tours & webinars

Old School: Getting reviews in magazines and newspapers
New School: Getting reviews on Amazon and in book communities where readers hang out like Shelfari, goodreads, librarything.com, rawsistaz and more

Old School: Press releases emailed and mailed to media
New School: SEO press releases sent or using online media matching service like Pitch Rate or Reporter Connection

Old School: Printing, stamping and mailing newsletters to mailing list accumulated over the years
New School: Sending out eNewsletters & continual email marketing campaigns using autoresponders and broadcast emails

Old School: Creating & updating media lists
New School: Capturing emails of interested readers using an "opt-in" database program like AWeber

Old School: TV interviews
New School: Creating book trailers, viral videos and streaming LIVE online

Old School: Authors visiting reading groups and libraries
New School: Teleconferencing or streaming live to many groups at the same time from the comfort of your home via Skype or a bridge line

Old School: Postcard mailings to readers, bookstores and organizations
New School: Eblast postcard to thousands using email marketing services like Goodgirlbookclub, BlackGospelPromo, ChristianPRGroup or DetroitGospel

Old School: Radio Interviews
New School: Podcasts and internet radio shows (heard online or downloaded via itunes)

Old School: Magazine features
New School: Ezine Features

Old School: Writing a column in newspapers
New School: Syndicated articles submitted on article directories like Ezine using keywords and generating web traffic or writing a regular blog

Old School: Stigma that self-published books "didn't cut it" and that's why they're not with a major house
New School: Savvy self-published authors are doing it big, getting noticed, making money and living a successful career doing what they love - writing!

Old School: Generating publicity in media outlets and getting no immediate input from audiences
New School: Building relationships, getting direct response from readers and creating communities online

Old School: Getting radio, TV, Newspaper and magazine reviews
New School: Creating thousands of followers, friends and fans online who interact with you and are connected with you through your whole career

Ministry marketing pioneer, Social Media Expert and PR Coach Pam Perry helps African American Christian authors garner publicity and leverage online strategies. As a 20-year PR veteran, she is also the co-author of "Synergy Energy: How to Use the Power of Partnerships to Market Your Book, Grow Your Business and Brand Your Ministry."

For a free MP3 of "What Every Author Should Know," go to http://www.PamPerryPR.com She's also the creator of the ChocolatePagesNetwork, a social network for Christian authors and the Chocolate Pages Show at Blog talkradio. She offers free help at her blogsite: http://www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com with her monthly Ezine and teleclasses.

Pam Perry

About Me

Pam Perry has been helping authors/speakers catapult their business careers for more than 10 years.
Pam Perry is a PR Coach & Social Media Evangelist. Putting YOU in the spotlight. Tips to help you build your platform, promote your brand & bring in business! http://www.socialmediaprsolutions.com
We offer social media management, podcasting & online video services, local search submissions, keyword research, SEO copy writing, guest blogging placement services, journalist outreach for online press coverage, social media training, article development, blog tours & social media campaigns & contests
Hear the weekly radio show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ministrymarketingsolutions
As an award-winning publicist & social media strategist, she has represented numerous clients securing media such as Oprah, Essence, Ebony, Publishers' Weekly, Tom Joyner Morning Show, Steve Harvey Show, Fox News and more.
MMS has created social media marketing campaigns for movies such as The Secret Life of Bees and Not Easily Broken.
She is the winner of several awards in social media and book publicity.